The present invention relates generally to original equipment or after-market storage units for truck beds and, more specifically, to a storage unit that is aerodynamically shaped.
Pick-up trucks and other vehicles often suffer from a lack of sufficient storage space. For example, there is no place in the bed of a pickup truck for the storage of small items. An operator is required to either leave small items loose in the bed or to add an after-market tool box of some type. These operators prefer that the truck bed include storage space integrated with the bed such that stored items are not loose in the bed and, preferably, that the storage space be securable such as by locking. However, one of the biggest benefits to a truck is its ability to transport large items, such as 4 by 8 foot sheets of drywall and plywood. Therefore, operators prefer that any storage device provided in the bed of the truck not interfere with the carrying capacity of the truck. Currently available after-market truck tool boxes typically suffer several drawbacks. First, they are not well integrated with the truck and therefore may have a poor aesthetic appearance. The box is also typically positioned transversely, side to side, across the front of the truck bed, thereby interfering with storage of long items in the truck bed. Therefore, there remains a need for storage units for truck beds that integrate well with the truck bed and do not interfere with the ability to transport large, and especially long, items. It is also desirable that such a storage unit provide a pleasing aesthetic appearance and allow for a locking storage area. Finally, it would be desirable that such a storage unit provide aerodynamic benefits over a conventional truck bed. It is generally desirable to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Improving a vehicle""s aerodynamics often leads to an improvement in fuel economy. Also, improving aerodynamics may also positively benefit wind noise.
There have been numerous attempts to solve the pickup truck storage problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,971 to Sisters and U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,317 to Henri both show pickup truck storage boxes designed to be positioned longitudinally within the pickup truck bed against the sides of the bed. These storage boxes are approximately the same length as the truck bed and have recesses in their undersides for providing clearance over the wheel wells in the truck bed. These boxes provide the advantages that they utilize space in the truck beds that is often not used, without interfering with the majority of the floor area of the truck bed. However, these storage boxes suffer from several drawbacks. First, they have a poor aesthetic appearance and do not integrate well with the truck bed. Also, as best shown in the Henri patent, storage units are typically accessed by opening a lid positioned at the top of the storage boxes. The pivot for these tops is typically located at the outboard edge of the box so that the lid opens outwardly. This makes it difficult for a user of the box to access the contents of the box by reaching over the side of the truck. Specifically, the lid of the box would be in the way if someone tried to reach over the side. This presents a significant inconvenience. These boxes also offer no aerodynamic benefits.
Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,969 to Simnacher. Like the previously discussed patents, Simnacher discloses a longitudinal storage box that is positioned adjacent the side wall of the truck bed so as to not interfere with the load floor. In addition, Simnacher provides hydraulic lifts for raising the storage box upwardly. The box is accessed by opening lids on the upper surface that are hinged at the inner edge of the box. That is, the lids open inwardly. When the box is lifted hydraulically upwardly, these doors are accessible from the exterior of the truck bed. The Simnacher device is needlessly complicated and, like the previous boxes, provides no aerodynamic benefits. Also, the Simnacher device can only be easily accessed from the outside of the truck once it is hydraulically lifted upwardly. This, also, may be inconvenient.
An additional drawback to the previously described devices is that they cannot be easily used with a tonneau cover. U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,124 to Geier attempts to address this problem. Specifically, the Geier patent discloses a saddle bag-like storage device that is supported on the inside of the truck bed by straps which attach to the tonneau cover frame. This approach may be beneficial for some users with tonneau covers. However, its use is limited thereto and does not provide secure, well-integrated storage.
Pickup trucks are used for many different applications, including towing fifth-wheel trailers, a type of trailer in which the front of the trailer rests on a hitch in the center of the truck bed. It is desirable that a storage box does not interfere with this use. An approach to this specific problem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,500 to Ingerson et al. A storage box is provided which fits in the bed of the truck adjacent to the tailgate and is shaped so as to fit under the front of the fifth-wheel trailer. This storage device is well-suited to its intended application but is less desirable to those who do not use a fifth-wheel trailer. Specifically, the storage box seriously interferes with the use of the load floor by blocking access to the load floor.
An improvement on transverse storage boxes is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,992 to Hamilton et al. This patent discloses a storage box that is positioned transversely adjacent the front wall of the truck bed. However, unlike previous approaches, in which the truck box is mounted in place, the Hamilton box is mounted to a pair of rails allowing the box to be moved forwardly and backwardly in the bed. This allows a user to slide the box to the rear limit of the truck for easier access or removal. This makes for easier access to the box, but the box seriously interferes with use of the load floor by shortening the bed. Also, the bed must be empty to roll the box rearwardly. Finally, the Hamilton device does not provide any aerodynamic benefits.
There have also been numerous attempts to improve the aerodynamics of pickup trucks. For example, tailgates may be removed and/or replaced with a net to close off the back of the bed. This supposedly improves the flow of air through the bed by removing a wall at its rear. Tonneau covers and pickup truck caps also recontour the bed to provide aerodynamic benefits. Yet another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,589 to Felker. A wind deflector is provided which extends angularly upwardly from the rear of the truck bed to the top of the tailgate so as to improve air flow over the tailgate. When not in use, the wind deflector may be folded flushed into the bed of the truck. While this approach may provide some aerodynamic benefits, it does not provide for any storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,259 to Booker and U.S. Pat. No. 4,938,398 to Hallsen attempt a combination of aerodynamic improvement and storage. In each case, a storage box is positioned adjacent the tailgate of the truck and arranged transversely side to side across the width of the truck bed. The boxes generally have a triangular cross-section with an angled forward surface. This angled surface directs wind upwardly over the tailgate. These storage boxes each suffer from the drawback that they interfere with use of the load floor of the truck bed.
The present invention overcomes many of the shortcomings of the prior art. An aerodynamic storage unit is provided which utilizes the space along the longitudinal side walls of the truck bed. Such a truck bed typically has a load floor and a pair of spaced apart longitudinal side walls. The storage unit according to the present invention has an inner wall member which is disposed in a spaced apart relationship with one of the pair of longitudinal side walls, so as to define a storage space between the side wall and the inner wall member. The inner wall member has a lower edge which is disposed on the load floor and an upper edge which is joined to the side wall. At least a portion of the inner wall member between the upper and lower edges is outwardly inclined. At least one access opening is defined in the inner wall member and communicates with the storage space. A door is disposed in the access opening. The door has a lower end which is hingedly attached to the inner wall member and an upper end. The lower end is closest to the load floor and the upper end is farthest from the load floor. The door opens inwardly, whereby when the door is opened inwardly the storage space can be accessed through the opening. In some embodiments of the present invention, a stowable tailgate is also provided which stows in a support frame mounted below the load floor. In other embodiments, additional access openings and/or doors are provided. Also, an aerodynamic unit may be provided without access openings or doors.